2012年9月11日 星期二

What Are the Major Types of Depression?

The DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) classifies the disease of depression into the following categories. This classification is based on the symptoms and causes of depression.

1. Dysthymia: The state of having a depression or a mood of sadness on most of the days for a long period of two days. The depression is felt everyday for along period of time.

2. Major Depressive Disorder: Along with the feeling of 'left alone' and lonely, this may also include other symptoms like deep feeling of guilt or guilt conscience. You will also feel suicidal ideation and other physical signs like loss of hunger and bad health. You will feel fatigue. This disorder can be severe, moderate or mild.

3. Adjustment Disorder and Depressed Mood: The grief because of the loss of any kind is called Adjustment Disorder. You may have lost a pet or a friend or someone or something very special in your life. If you are not able to cop up with this after many days, you are suffering from this disorder.

4. Depression NOS: This includes premenstrual depression and other seasonal depressions. They are not generally very serious.

5. Secondary Depression: Some medicines or drugs that you are having may cause mood shifts and depression. This depression is due to an underlying medical disorder like Cushing's disease or hypothyroidism.

Being given such a complex definitions for the different kinds of depressions, there is no doubt why the doctors become depressed themselves trying to figure out what kind of depression is affecting the patient.